


Safer

by orphan_account



Series: safe [2]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Au everyone lives, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post Battle of Five Armies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-15
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 16:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/640616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kili received a blow to the head during the Battle of the Five Armies, and only survived through a miracle... and the good care of Ori. Though why the younger dwarf would have made such efforts to heal him, Kili cannot understand it. They aren't kin, they aren't friends... so what are they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. darkness and light

**Author's Note:**

> I enjoyed writing fluff with "Safe" so I wanted to do more... then it turned to angst because that's how I roll. But these two will have their happy ending or I'm not Tagath!  
> Also, possible mentions of Thorin/Bilbo(/Bofur) if I can find a wait to fit these idiots somewhere.

The last thing Kili remembers is Azog running toward them, mounting his great white warg, surrounded by his orcs. Fili and him had barely needed to look at each other to know what to do next, and before anyone could stop them, they had positioned themselves between their uncle and his enemies, ready to defend him until death.

Only Kili hadn’t expected death to actually happen to him. It wasn’t supposed to happen to people like him. He was young, he was a prince, he was reckless, how could he die? But fate had decided otherwise, and the very last thing he saw was an orc’s sword coming toward his head, followed by a crippling pain, and then…

And then, only darkness.

 

* * *

 

 

Later there was light, and warmth, and Kili would have thought he was dead if there hadn’t also been pain. Or did the dead feel pain? It seemed rather unfair. It was bad enough being dead without having to feel so terrible too. Wanting to find out, he tried to move, or to open his eyes, but failed to do either. Maybe dead, then. But his struggles must have alerted someone, or something, because he thought he could hear a voice, somewhere far away, as well as warmth on his hand. And, with that last thing, he realized that, dead or alive, he felt safe and protected, and he let the darkness engulf him again.

 

* * *

 

 

It happened again several time, this going from darkness to light and from light to darkness, until the moment where finally Kili found himself able to open his eyes. All he saw at first was more light, and this time it was so bright that it hurt his eyes. He blinked a few times, until the pain there subsided and he could look around him. He wasn’t sure he recognized the room, though that might have been because he couldn’t think clearly anyway, but he had a feeling he was somewhere inside the Mountain. It was difficult to be sure though, lying on his back like he was, barely able to see anything but the ceiling, so he tried to sit up.

This proved to be difficult for two reasons. First, he felt weak, weaker than he had ever been. The closest thing he could imagine was one time when he’d gotten sick as a child, and his life had been on the line. Secondly, as soon as he managed to sit, there was a yelp next to him, and someone came and gently forced him to lie down again.

“None of that now,” said a soft voice that Kili could almost recognize. “You are to rest still, or you’ll never heal proper.”

Kili frowned, trying to find whose voice it was. Young. Soft. Shy. Oh.

“Ori?”

“Aye. How do you feel? Tired? Hungry? Feeling anything strange?”

“I feel like I’ve been sleeping for years, is all. Bit hungry too, yeah.”

“Well, you haven’t awoken for days, so no surprise there,” Ori said, and Kili thought there was something strange in his voice, a bit sad maybe. “Just stay here and don’t move, I’ll see if I can find you some broth, yeah?”

Falling asleep again, Kili nodded distractedly. He thought he felt Ori take his hand for a second, but he wasn’t sure of it, and he couldn’t imagine why the younger dwarf would do such a thing.

 

* * *

 

 

The next time Kili woke up, his head was a lot clearer, and he was a lot hungrier. Carefully sitting up –and that was easier too this time, though he still felt weak –he looked around him. He was definitively in a room inside the mountain, though not one that he had visited before, because he would have remembered such a pretty place, with carvings on the walls and around the window. It was a nice room, with here and there furniture half eaten by worms. An old bedroom, maybe, that had been made habitable again for him? In any case, it was a comfortable place, and the straw on which he’d been installed to sleep felt like the nicest thing he’d ever known in his life.

The only thing to worry him was that he was alone, when he remembered that Ori had been there too, last time he had been conscious. Or had that been a dream? His head had felt rather funny at the time, and he _did_ have trouble focusing, just like in a dream, but then why Ori, why not Fili or Thorin, or someone he had actually managed to talk to during their travel? He was not sure he liked the implication of him dreaming of _Ori_ of all people, but that would still have been better than Ori having really been there, when his brother or his uncle should have been the ones watching over him. Or if they were hurt too, then someone else, but certainly not that boy, who was barely old enough to have a beard. Where were the others? Were they all wounded? Was the battle lost, with only the two youngest dwarves spared because of their age?

Suddenly overcome with panic, the young dwarf tried to stand up, only to feel his head spinning so hard that he quickly fell back on the straw, his foot knocking down a bowl of broth in the process. At the same time, footsteps approached, sounding strangely distant and close all at once. His vision blurry, Kili just made out a small silhouette were the door should have been, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Ori was kneeling next to him, looking worried.

“You shouldn’t try to stand yet,” the younger dwarf admonished him softly. “You’ve taken a bad blow to the head, and we could only give you a little water now and then, so you’re not strong enough to... well, do anything, really.”

“And since when are you a healer exactly? And why is it you guarding me? Isn’t there anyone more...”

Kili didn’t finish his sentence, but by the expression on Ori’s face, it didn’t make a difference. Anyone more experienced, competent. Anyone who wasn’t a child.

“Well, the others were busy, weren’t they?”Ori answered coldly. “You weren’t the only one hurt during the battle, and there were some who needed care more than you did, so I just... tried to make myself useful. I’m not much of a healer, but you’re alive, aren’t you?”

“Sorry. It’s just. Well, why am I not with the others, if many were hurt? Where are...”

“We’re all mostly alive,” Ori cut him. “But _you_ won’t stay alive if you don’t eat a bit. So I’ve brought you broth, made specially by Bombur just for you.”

Kili looked at the bowl he had hit earlier in his fall. He had thought that was supposed to be his.

“That was my lunch,” Ori said as he filled a spoon from the bowl he was holding. “But that’s fine, I’m sure one of my brothers will remember I need to be fed soon enough, and they’ll bring me something. Now try to sit down, and eat.”

“Are you going to feed me like a _babe_?”

“As long as I have too, yes,” Ori grumbled. “But if my help is so annoying to you, I’m sure I’ll find plenty of people to care for you, now you’re awake. See if _they_ don’t treat you like a babe, though.”

“What’s with that temper? You sound like an orc who’s got a wart on his backside. Did you too get a blow in the head that turned you as grouchy as your brothers?”

Ori shrugged and didn’t answer. Instead, he brought his spoon towards the other one’s mouth, and Kili, though annoyed to be treated so, ate without any more complaints.

 

* * *

 

 

After his broth –and wasn’t it embarrassing that he could only swallow half of it before feeling full to the point of sickness –Kili tried to rest a little, only to find he wasn’t as tired as he had been before. Ori still seemed in a foul mood, writing and sketching in his book with his back turned to his patient, and it was probably best not to try to talk to him. Except there was not much else to do, really, not once you had looked a hundred times at those stupid carvings decorating everything, and, really, Kili had never been that interested in the arts of stone anyway.

“Ori?”

There was no answer, but the younger dwarf’s quill stopped, which seemed a good sign.

“What did you mean when you said we are all mostly alive?”

“That some are more alive than others.”

“I’d have thought you could only be dead or alive. How can you be less alive, exactly?”

“Well, you can do that by losing a leg. Or losing an arm, and having to take all sorts of potions just to bear being alive. Or you can just sleep for two weeks without ever moving. Plenty of ways to not be that much alive, really. But we’re all fine now, I think.”

“You’re not telling me who’s hurt.”

Ori closed his book more violently than necessary, and turned toward Kili.

“That’s because you’re _part_ of who’s hurt, for one thing. And really, they’re fine, and our master Baggins, Thorin let him come back and he’s all fussing over him and taking care of him, so maybe he’s got just one leg now, but he’s King under the Mountain, and he’s got a hobbit feeding him and tending his wounds and all the rest, so he’s quite all right.”

“Bet the hobbit is as much of a healer as you are,” Kili tried to joke.

At that, Ori shot him a strange look, not quite as angry as before, and certainly a little worried, though he was trying to hide it.

“I’m sure he and I have had a lot in common lately, yes,” the young dwarf finally said with a neutral voice. “Though do not worry, your uncle is in good hands.”

“And the other one to be hurt?”

“He’s fine too, now. Bombur tells me he’s started eating solid food, and that’s a good sign. But he... Fili lost an arm, there’s a nasty wound on his chest, and we’re still not sure about one of his eyes.”

Kili felt like he had been punched in the stomach. The idea of Fili, in pain, somewhere away from him while he just _slept_ was unbearable. They had still been fighting when he’d lost consciousness, that much he was sure of, and he should have been fighting too, protecting them. And what if they’d been hurt protecting him? He wasn’t sure he could live with that. It wasn’t how things were supposed to be. He’d gone with Thorin to become a great, brave hero, not some idiot who fainted at the beginning of a battle and slept while others suffered around him.

Ori’s hand on his shoulder made him jump.

“Don’t go blaming yourself, you didn’t do anything wrong. You fought very bravely, I saw you, and that blow you took would have killed anyone else. Just wait until you can remove the dressings, and you’ll see the scar you got yourself. And... well. You’ve been lucky, that’s all. And next time, you’re not going into battle with some old armour that’s been lying around for centuries. I’ll make you a nice new helmet myself, if it comes to it!”

Another dwarf might have noticed how bold that proposition was, and how Ori was blushing, refusing to look at Kili. But the dark haired dwarf missed it completely.

“I’d rather not,” he said with a laugh. “Your brothers said once you were the worst smith that the world has ever known."

“Well then, I'll find someone to make a good one for you then,” Ori insisted. “I'm sure I could convince Dwalin, or even Bifur... _he_ is a great smith, there's not questioning that. And then, maybe you'd be a little bit safer when you go running after armies of goblins.”

This time, at last, Kili realized that there was something rather odd with the other's offer. You did not just give things for no reason. That wasn't the way dwarves did things. If you made a present, or talked of giving one, it meant you wanted an alliance, or to settle a grudge, or to maintain a friendship. But Ori wasn't the kind to need allies, and they had never argued, and saying they were friends would have been a bit of a stretch. Kili _liked_ the other one, certainly, but the way he had liked their ponies: because they were there, and they were useful to the group, and that he knew he could count on them even if he never talked to them.

Well, maybe he liked Ori a bit more than the ponies. The ponies hadn't made him a scarf on the way to thank him for having protected them from the trolls at one point -funny how Kili didn't remember that he had done that, really, but Ori had sounded sure of himself and it would have been impolite to say no. And Ori had drawn that lovely portrait of him and Fili, in exchange for a few lessons with bows. And he'd say some rather funny jokes, when his brothers weren't there to silence him. And he had a nice smile, though rarely directed at Kili.

Now that he thought about it, the main reason they weren't friends was probably the fact that Ori seemed to avoid him, whenever his brothers were around. Which was to say, he avoided him most of the time. A strange behaviour, to be sure, but Kili had always had other problems in mind. Until then.

The older dwarf must have remained silent for longer than he should have, because Ori looked very worried, and more than a little discouraged.

“Forget I said anything,” he mumbled. “That was just an idea. I'm sure now that you're the heir, proper and all, you'll not be wanting in helmets, or in anything else, eh? It was stupid of me to suggest it. And anyway, you should rest now, and I should tell everyone that you're better, shouldn't I? I've only told Bombur, and he's so busy, I can't be sure he's told anyone yet. So just... rest and stay here and I'm sure you'll soon have plenty of company, and from people more interesting than me too.”

And before any protest could be formulated, before Kili had a chance to tell him he wasn't that boring, Ori had quickly gotten up, and, his book in one hand, his ink and quill in the other, he had run away from the room.


	2. visits to the wounded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili slowly gets better, and the others visit. Which only ends in confusion for the young prince who can't quite figure out why everyone keeps smiling at him like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like clueless!Kili and you can't stop me. And poor boy DOES have a concussion, so I believe that's as good an excuse as any for him being a bit slow sometimes, isn't it?

Ori hadn’t lied. Soon after he had left, the other dwarves started coming to see him, and all of them seem surprised that he was still alive.

The first ones to come had been Balin and Dwalin. The first because he had been the closest thing the company had to a healer, the second because he’d been the one to carry Kili inside after the battle, and he had been quite sure he had a corpse in his arms when he had entered Erebor again that day.

“We almost put you with the fallen, lad,” Dwalin explained. “But then Ori arrived and insisted you were alive. Said you’d told him you wouldn’t die, and the little one looked so sad, we thought there was no harm in it, eh? He said you’d need some quiet, so we had to put you somewhere calm rather than with the other wounded, and that he’d tell us once you’d healed.”

“And he did a good job,” Balin added while inspecting what was under the younger dwarf’s bandages. “Glad to know all that reading he does isn’t for nothing. I’ll have to talk to his brothers; we could make a healer of that boy if he were given some proper training.”

No one mentioned that he was odd that Ori had decided to do all this for Kili, whom he’d barely ever spoken to, and so he decided that maybe it wasn’t all that strange. Maybe the things he’d always learnt only worked for a prince, and it was normal for commoners to act in such a selfless way, at least when dealing with royalty?

Truth be told, learning about good manners had never been his favourite things, and since Fili was the _actual_ heir, he had often felt allowed to be less attentive to his lessons than he should have been. And he’d never had many actual occasions to learn these things by himself either, because even as a child he had had that ugly elfish air to him, and that, combined to his passion for the very _elfish_ weapon that was his bow, hadn’t helped in making friends. As long as he’d had Fili, that had never been an issue. But he was starting to see how that could be a problem, now that he really _was_ going to be a prince.

While he was deep in thoughts, Balin had finished inspecting his wound, and had replaced the bandages, though not as nicely as Ori had done it.

“Well, I think there’s no need for you to remain hidden here, little prince,” the old dwarf said. “Let’s get you to some proper healers, so they can make sure that there’s nothing wrong with you, hm?”

“Not sure I can walk, though. I tried earlier, but that didn’t work too well.”

“And why do you think I asked Dwalin to come along? He’s carried you before, he can do it again, and easier than before now you’ve gone so skinny.”

Kili tried to protest, to explain that being carried around was undignified –and really, hadn’t his dignity been hurt enough when he’d stupidly fainted in the middle of a battle? –but to no avail. He was sure they had him parading through the entire mountain before Dwalin _finally_ deposed him on a small bed, in an ancient court room transformed into an improvised hospital.

“Don’t look so sour, my prince,” Balin told him with a smile. “You are alive, we are all glad of it, and soon you’ll be well enough to move around on your own two feet, hm? So be a good lad, and listen to the healers.”

 

* * *

 

And Kili did listen, though really there was not much for him to do. Everyone told him to the same. The dwarf healers told him to rest, and so did the human and elf ones. It’s rather strange, being cared for by elves, but they are trying to act nice, they are very good at what they’re doing, and most of the time he’s just too tired to complain, really.

Most of the company came to see him in the following days. Bifur and Bombur were first, because the fat dwarf had learned that the young prince was but skin and bones after his longs days of sleep, and he wanted to help. Bombur was a good enough cook as a rule, but he’d picked up a few recipes from their burglar and those were just delicious. Kili felt guilty that he still has trouble eating as much as usual, though that improved a little every day.

After that, it had been Gloin and Oin, who hadn’t said much. The presence of the elves around seemed to make them extremely uncomfortable, and they didn’t stay very long.

Bofur had been a lot more loquacious, and had given him news from Thorin –losing a leg hadn’t changed him much, really –from  Fili –his state had improved since he’d been told Kili was better, though he still wasn’t much to look at –from Dain –maybe a tad disappointed that Thorin’s wounds had healed so well, but happy to help on the whole –and from Bilbo. The burglar seemed to be his favourite subject, and that was no surprise to Kili: these two had always been good friends, and Bofur had been almost as hurt as Thorin after that business with the Arkenstone. But all was well again, Bilbo had been forgiven, and was even one of the few that Thorin seemed to tolerate around him while he was healing.

“Good thing he’s a hobbit,” Kili had joked at that. “Had he been a dwarf, it would all have been rather improper, and everyone would have suspected there was something going on there.”

“Who says there isn’t?”

“Uncle? With a hobbit? No offense, our burglar is a nice one, but...”

“Aye, a nice one who saved the King’s life more than once, and Thorin made it clear enough that he liked it. Ye don’t give mithril to just any old _friend_ , do you? Wasn’t time to do much ‘bout it before, but we’re all free to act as we please now, eh?”

And there was something about the way Bofur said that, with a large smile and a wink, that worried Kili. It was as if they both knew what was really going on, and not just with Thorin and Bilbo. Except Kili didn’t know anything, though he’d never have admitted it.

“Is it alright with you, though?” he asked in an awkward attempt to go back to the subject. “If any of us was to court the hobbit, I’d have thought it’d be you. You even gave him your hat once or twice, and that’s...”

“Don’t ye worry about me, little prince, all’s under control. But ye should be careful. Ye’ve hidden it well enough until now, but it’s all in public now, and there’s some who might not like it.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kili said with a frown. “I really don’t.”

That made Bofur laugh, and after a wink and a pat on the shoulder, he left.

 

* * *

 

But if Kili thought this was his most awkward visit yet, things only became worse when Dori and Nori came to see him, four days after he had woken up. Nori had always made him rather uncomfortable, with his rather terrible reputation, but this time there was something positively terrifying about him, and Dori, usually as soft spoken as their youngest brother, looked about as amiable as a dragon with a toothache.

“So, _my prince_ , what are you planning to do with your life now that Erebor is ours again?” Dori asked without any preamble. “Your uncle is King under the Mountain, your brother is his heir, but what does that make _you_?”

“I don’t...”

“What craft do you work in, anyway?” Nori cut him. “Can’t be a miner with hands like yours. A smith then? What do you work with? Iron, gold, silver?”

“I’m not too bad with silver,” Kili said, unsure of where the conversation was headed. “My mom taught me to do jewels and the like. Fili’s better at making them, but I can make nicer designs, so we are a good time. Guess he won’t have much time for it now, though.”

The two older dwarves frowned, clearly unhappy of that answer. Kili didn’t see why. He was still young, there was time for him to figure out what he was good at, and anyway it was none of their business.

“Another doodler then,” Dori grumbled. “Not much good in that, really.”

“Not sure, it could come in handy soon enough,” protested Nori. “Once we start making business with humans and elves again, it’ll be good to have people who can imagine pretty things for them, and until then, he can learn to become better at making them too. He’s a prince, shouldn’t be too hard for him to find a good master to teach him.”

Feeling very uncomfortable with the way things were going, Kili decided it was time to change the subject.

“And how is Ori?” he asked with a forced smile. “I haven’t seen him in days, not since they brought me down here. Is he alright?”

That, apparently, was the wrong question to ask. The two older dwarves glared at him, before mumbling something about propriety, manners, and things needing to be done the right way. They advised him once more to think carefully about his future, and left him alone.

Kili was fairly sure something rather important had just happened, but he had no idea what exactly.

 

* * *

 

Five days after waking up, one of the healers told Kili that he looked strong enough to walk around a bit if he wanted, as long as he made didn’t try to be too fast and that he had a lot of rest after. Immediatly, the young prince was on his feet, and if he didn’t have yet the strength to really run to his brother, in his mind he was.

Fili was in a worse state than he had expected. It was one thing to be told that someone had lost an arm, it was quite another to actually see the empty space on his side. And then there are bandages everywhere, including on his right eye, and that’s terrifying because Kili should have been there, should have protected him. His brother almost died, just because he couldn’t take a little blow to the head.

But Fili smiled and laughed when he saw him coming, as if he wasn’t lying on a bed by his fault.

“Hello baby brother! Don’t you love my new style? Ladies dig the scars you know, I wish I had known earlier. Hey, why the sad face? You look like a hobbit who’s missed a meal. Come sit here and tell all your troubles to your favourite brother.”

As delicately as he could, Kili sat on a corner of his brother’s bed, and thought he looked he looked even worse now that they were close.

“I’m not the one who has any trouble here,” he grumbled. “You’re the one who’s stuck here, and who’s all... like this. I should be offering my helps to you.”

“Very nice of you to be sure, but one of Dain’s nieces and a healer with the most charming of beards are already doing a lot to help me and let’s face it, they’re a lot prettier than you are. So just tell me what’s wrong and we’ll see what we can do about, yeah?”

“But you’re hurt and...”

“Yeah, but I ain’t the one they wanted to burry after the battle, am I? Though you don’t have much to complain on that side, eh? Little Ori healed you nice and proper. Who thought that little babe had it in him?”

Kili shrugged. For all that people told him he’d almost died, he didn’t feel that bad, and so he thought his wound barely counted compared to those of others. But then again, maybe he had Ori to thank for that. He’d have to say something nice to him later, maybe find him a nice gift? If Thorin could give away mithril to a friend –and Kili still had trouble imagining his uncle feeling more than friendship for their hobbit –then he could give something nice to little Ori too. A new slingshot maybe? Or would that make him feel like he was treated as a child again? A book then maybe? There had to be some, somewhere in the mountain, that had survived Smaug, and...

“Not sure I like seeing you smile like that just as I talk of Ori,” his brother warned him. “Not sure I want to see that smile on you at all, actually.”

“Just trying to find a nice idea of a gift, is all,” Kili protested. “Everyone tells me he’s done a miracle saving me.”

“He did. You tried to block a _sword_ with your _head_. Never ends well, that.”

“Yeah, well, look who’s talking. And anyway, I need to do something for Ori, I s’ppose, since he saved my life. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? But I don’t really know what to give him. Do you think a book would do it?”

“I think anything would do it, given by you. But yeah, I think master Baggins has found the old library, so you should ask him if there’s anything that’s not needed too much. And that’ll give him an excuse to get some air too, uncle will barely let him get out of his sight.”

Kili took a moment to think on that.

“Do you really think there is... courting going on there? Bofur says so, but...”

“If you want my advice, stay out of it,” Fili laughed. “Whatever is happening with uncle, the hobbit, and Bofur, you don’t want to get caught in it. Especially as you have enough problems of your own, eh?”

And there it was again, that smile everyone kept giving him. It was becoming rather annoying, Kili decided. So he just changed the subject, asked about the battle, and how things were going with elves and the humans. Then, as they were both quick to tire, Kili decided it would be better for him to return to his own bed. He dared not think what would happen if Bombur didn’t find him there when he’d come to bring him his lunch. He promised Fili he’d come again soon, maybe even in the evening if he could, and left toward the room where he currently resided.

 

* * *

 

But going to his brother’s room after such a long inactivity had exhausted him more than he had thought. After only a couple steps outside, he felt his head spinning so much that he had to close his eyes. He tried to breathe deeply, hoping it would help, but instead he felt his legs going weak under him, and started falling to the ground. He knew he probably didn’t stay there for very long, surely not more than a few minutes, but it felt like hours to him.  

He feared he might die there, all alone in a corridor, right on his brother’s doorstep, when he felt strong hands catching him by the shoulders and making him sit up.

“Try to take long breaths,” came Ori’s voice. “In and out, like that, all nice and calm. I’m here to help you, yes? Don’t try to talk, just breathe, and soon as I see someone, I’ll ask them to fetch Dwalin and he’ll bring you back to your bed. But now, just breathe, and it’ll all be fine. I’m here, and you’re all safe, aren’t you?”

Kili nodded. He felt Ori shift, coming to sit behind him, urging him to breathe with him. And that did help, though in all honesty, Kili couldn’t say if it was the breathing thing that calmed him, or just the fact that he was in Ori’s arms, which was the nicest thing ever.  It felt warm and safe and _right_ , and he never wanted to be anywhere else again.

It didn’t last though. Far too soon, someone came –dwarf, human or elf, Kili still couldn’t open his eyes to see, but he hated them anyway –and Ori quickly got up to explain how he’d been walking to the library when he’d found the prince on the floor, clearly very sick, and how they needed to bring him back to his bed and to call a healer. Whoever he had talked to run to do precisely that, and Kili half expected the young blond dwarf to come back near him, but it never happened.


	3. of picnics and treasures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kili is in a terrible mood, but finally starts to understand what is going on.

The small incident in the corridor had worried everyone, and it was decided that Kili should probably rest another few days before attempting to go anywhere on his own again. This annoyed the young prince greatly, and he begged everyone not to tell anything to his brother, nor to Thorin. They had enough problems with their own health, no need to bother them with his. And in fact, the fewer visits he would get, the best it would be. He had had quite enough of all their strange smiles and allusions, though he couldn’t very well admit that.

The only person he would have liked to see was Ori, though he was fairly sure it would have made for a very embarrassing conversation. For all that he'd thought of the younger dwarf as a child, that was now the second time he had saved him, and still for no reason beside the fact that Kili had needed help. Oh, for a moment, Kili had thought, hoped even, that maybe there were some feeling friendship in there, which would have been quite nice, but this little fantasy of his was short lived. If Ori had liked him, he would have come to visit, wouldn't he? Or was he afraid that people would talk, that they would think Ori was wooing him? And that really wasn't something they'd want.

Right?

That idea kept him awake an entire night. He'd never considered Ori as a potential lover before. But then again, he'd never considered him as anything at all. Or had he? The boy, no, the _dwarf_ had given him a scarf that he'd worn and appreciated for its warmth. And Kili had allowed him to use his bow, for a short time while he learned, sure, but it wasn't something he usually did. And there had been that short moment, before the battle, when they had been holding hands, just because they were both scared. And hadn’t that been nice.

Maybe they were friends, after all, and Kili had just never noticed it. He’d never been really popular among dwarves, not with that elfish face of his, and he didn’t really know what a friendship felt like from the inside. But if they _were_ friends, why would Ori not come and see him? Sure, Kili hadn’t been too kind to him the day he had woken up, he then had asked for no visits, but surely the younger dwarf was clever enough to know there was a difference between his uncle's annoying friends, and the person who had saved him twice?

Or maybe Ori really didn't care about him, and had really saved him only because it was the right thing to do. And it would have been okay. Kili could have lived with that. Couldn't he?

* * *

 

No one was quite sure whose idea it had been to have a great indoor picnic in the treasure room, but they had all agreed that it was an original idea to celebrate Thorin's birthday. Then again, most people still present in Erebor at that point were dwarves, and anything that involved gold and precious stones and fun was always a good idea. And to prove that they had learned from their mistakes, Thorin had taken the trouble to invite Thranduil and the Master of Esgaroth to that little party. They had both refused, but in such a polite way that no one had minded at all, and all the dwarves had started preparing for this joyful occasion.

Kili didn't share that joy.

He knew he _should_ have been happy. It had been over a month since he had woken up. And he was feeling much better: he could eat almost normally, his head didn't spin as often, and he had stopped getting tired so easily. Better yet, Fili's state had improved so much that he'd left his room, and everything between them was as it had always been, except for the fact that the blond dwarf was now officially wooing that healer with a nice beard who had taken such good care of him. But it was all very private and proper, and made little difference for Kili.

Kili who was in a foul mood, had been for weeks, and wasn't sure why. He had everything he had ever wanted. He was a prince, and he was in Erebor, he was a war hero, and he had a terrifying scar on the side of his head to prove it.

“You look more and more like uncle,” Fili had joked as they were preparing the party. “And by that I mean like uncle on a bad day before we got here. Could it be that you too need a blonde little thing to teach you how to smile again?”

“Oh, go braid Bjor's beard and leave me alone. Why are you always in such a good mood?”

“I am in _love_ , little brother. And why are _you_ always in such a bad mood?”

“Because I have an annoying brother who won't leave me alone,”Kili grumbled, even as he couldn't stop a glance toward Ori, who was helping his brothers decorate and didn't seem to notice the young prince was even there.

And that was the entire problem, wasn't it? Just as he was starting to realize how enjoyable the company of the young blond dwarf could have been, Ori had started ignoring him completely, choosing instead to spend all his free time with Nori and Dori, even though they didn't seem like a lot of fun. Whereas Kili would have fond _dozens_ of way to amuse him, like shooting contests, or walking around the mountain, or playing pranks on Bombur and Bifur, or braiding each other's hair. Well, that last one might have been a bit too intimate for friends, really, but Kili had to admit he had daydreamt about it once or twice. There was nothing wrong in that, right? It was just...

Kili's train of thought was brutally interrupted by his brother's pained growl.

“Damn, look at uncle and his hobbit, it's just making me sick,” Fili grumbled. “They look like they're on their honeymoon, it's not really proper for a king. They're been courting each others for just a few weeks, they should be more discreet... and I'm not even going to mention Bofur because I just don't want to know what's going on with him.”

They did look rather happy, the three of them, Kili decided. It was a bit strange and, yes, a bit improper that things seem to be moving so fast for them, but at least they looked happy. Which wasn't fair. Everyone but him seemed to be happy these days. And with that thought, he stole another glance toward Ori, who seemed to notice him this time, and waved at him with a small smile before quickly going back to what he was doing. And that was the _most_ communication they'd had in a month. Kili sighed. He really had to get the other dwarf out of his head, it was only painfully clear that Ori wanted nothing to do with him.

 

* * *

 

The indoor picnic among piles of gold was rather fun, in the end. There was food and beer and everyone was so jolly that even Kili couldn't maintain his dark mood very long. Not once he had drunk enough, anyway. Though he was, and by far, on the reasonable side of alcohol consumption in the room. It took a lot to get a dwarf drunk, but _a lot_ was precisely what they had. And soon enough, several of the older dwarves where singing together. Thorin was only watching the singers so far, but Dwalin had joined them, as well as Bofur, Bombur, Dori and Nori, who were doing a very good job at entertaining everyone. Kili had half a mind to join them as soon as he was drunk enough.

But as he tried to serve himself more beer for the fourth or fifth time -he had already lost count, which he believed to be a very good sign -he suddenly found Ori just in front of him. That was surprising enough as it was, but then the younger dwarf smiled shyly and gently seized Kili's wrist.

“I found something the other day, while we were cleaning, and I'd like to show it to you. Come with me?”

Kili nodded, suddenly incapable of speech. What could he have said anyway, with Ori blushing like that, and looking at him with such intensity?

As soon as he had agreed, the younger dwarf pulled him away from the heart of the party, to a dark corner behind a sculpted column. From one of the carving, he took a beautiful golden braid ring the like of which Kili had never seen.

“It's gorgeous,” the dark haired dwarf whispered. “Where did you find it?”

“With all the rest.” Ori said with a blush. “I thought you'd like it. And. I think you should wear it.”

“I haven't done anything to deserve such a beautiful decoration, though.”

“You proved yourself in battle!” Ori protested. “You were one of the few who dared to risk the travel to Erebor, and you fought against goblins and wargs and spiders! If you haven't deserved the right to braid your hair, then no one has. So come here, prince of Erebor a-and let me do that for you. Now, sit down.”

There was nothing to do but to obey, Kili decided. Not that he wanted to resist, anyway. He had been fantasizing about exactly that for a while now, and he was drunk enough that he could use it as an excuse if anyone found them and protested the impropriety of it all. Though really, he didn't see what was so bad in all that. Ori was good with his hands, better than he would have expected, and his touch felt nice in Kili's hair. It reminded him of that day, outside Fili's room, when he'd been so sick and all Ori had had to do was hold him, and everything had been right again. And so what if only your parents or your lover were normally allowed to braid your hair or beard? Ori had saved his life at least once, didn't that give him some special right over Kili?

“You've got nice hands,” he mumbled after a moment to break the silence.

“You've got nice hair. And I'm all done. Just wait a second, I think I've seen a mirror somewhere.”

It made Kili smile to see the other trying to be in control like that, and he wondered just how much beer Ori had had, to be acting like that. And wasn’t it charming, how proud of himself he looked now that he had found his mirror?

“I’ve tried to hide your scar best as I could,” Ori said while Kili looked at his new braid. “When it’s healed better you’ll probably want to show it around I suppose, but for the moment it just looks so... painful. I hope you don’t mind?”

“If I _mind_? It’s great! You’re really good at that you know. Thank you very much for this.”

Ori smiled and looked away, blushing furiously, but Kili didn’t notice, too busy admiring his new braid. He was almost looking like a proper dwarf now, even with his elfish nose and lack of beard. Though he still wasn’t nearly as good looking as Fili or, say, as Ori for example. 

And that thought it him hard. Ori _was_ a very attractive dwarf, with his big nose and ears, and his large but skilful hands. Kili had always thought of him as the baby of their company, if only because it made Kili himself an adult by comparison, but Ori had stopped being a child long ago. He was an adult, as much as Kili was, and he had just braided his hair after having dragged him in a dark and private corner.

“I’m a bloody idiot,” Kili said aloud.

“A bit, sometimes,” Ori said with a teasing smile. “But that’s never bothered you before, so why worry about it now?”

“Do you like me? And I mean, _really_ like? As in, with courting and wooing and your brothers coming one day to tell that I’m not worthy of you and... Oh crap, so that’s what it was about? You were courting me, and that’s why your brothers were worried that I didn’t have any sort of proper position or trade, and why everyone kept smiling and winking at me! They all thought we were _involved_? But it’s so _stupid_!”

And that, apparently, was the wrong thing to say, because the younger dwarf took a step back and looked away.

“I am sorry I am not to your taste, _my prince_ ,” Ori said with barely contained pain. “And in my defence, I did try to protect your honour more than once by saying there was no official wooing going on, but I suppose the very idea of it was less ridiculous to them than to you, since they believed we were just shy. Though have no worry, _your highness_ , I will not bother you anymore. That will at least please my brothers, if nothing else, as they think you are an insensitive imbecile.”

And with that, he turned his back to Kili and prepared to walk away. The dark haired dwarf didn’t hesitate a second before rushing after him, grabbing his arm to stop him, but Ori pushed him away.

“Don’t bother, I get it,” he said. “I mean, I know I should have taken the hint a lot sooner, what with you never really making any clear move, but I couldn’t really say that I liked you, ‘cause you’re a prince and others aren’t really s’pposed to approach you like that, it’s supposed to be you making the official first step and all. And you never did. I shoulda given up, and I sort of did, but then you were nice before the battle, and then said you’d died, only you hadn’t, and what was I s’pposed to do? Let you die ‘cause you didn’t want me? Well, I’m not like that, I’m just not. But don’t worry, now I’ll go tell everyone that it was all me being improper, that there never was any courting going on, and they’ll all leave you in peace now.”

Ori then made a quick bow, and tried again to leave. Kili refused to let that happen. Without thinking, he jumped toward the blond dwarf, and one way or another, the two of them lost balance and ended on the ground, Kili on top, Ori trying to run away without actually touching the dark hair dwarf more than he already was.

“Stop moving like that,” Kili complained. “Ow, watch your elbows!”

“Let me go and I’ll stop having to hit you.”

“But if I let you go, then you’ll be gone!” the dark haired dwarf protested. “And I don’t want you to go, okay? Not now that I know you like me! What sort of idiot would I be if I let you leave now, just as I’m starting to understand what’s going on? So just... stop fighting for a moment, will you?”

And just like that, Ori _did_ stop trying to get away, but the way he glared at Kili made it clear that an explanation should come, and that it should come soon, or there would be more elbows hitting him. Kili decided the other one was rather cute when he was angry, though it was probably not a good idea to mention it at that moment.

"Well, then. Good. Let me make sure I've got it all," Kili said, trying to look and sound as serious as he could because really, he wanted to get this right."You like me. And you have for a while. And you've tried to let me know, but I didn't notice a thing, though apparently I'm the only one in the world, because no one else seemed very surprised by that. Do I have it right?"

Ori looked away and frowned angrily, but he nodded.

"Good. So, you liked me, I didn't see it. Then I almost die, and you save me even though the entire world had give up on me. Am I still right? Good. Then I wake up, and I act like a perfect idiot, though I think I had a good excuse for that, was with having almost died and all. And then, you stopped talking to me at all, except for that time when you saved me, which I still haven't properly thanked you for. Do I have it all?”

“Did you have to say it all aloud? It's... embarrassing.”

“Yes, well, it helps me think, and Durin knows I need all the help I can get with that. It's not just the face of an elf I have, sadly the brain is pretty elfish too, in case you hadn't noticed.”

Ori rolled his eyes, and sighed in annoyance.

“You don't look like an elf, you know.” Ori hesitated for a second, then put a hand on Kili's cheek and continued. “You really don't. Not a bit. You... you just look like a very handsome dwarf. And you're not half as stupid as you think you are. Not very good at taking a hint, _yeah_ , but not... stupid.”

“I'm not nearly as smart as you though,” Kili mumbled shyly.

“That's because I'm _very_ smart,”Ori said, rising his head slightly. “But you're more clever than, say, Fili. Or Bombur. Or Dori. Or _Thorin_ , though _never_ tell him I said that.”

“I won't,” Kili promised with a laugh. “Only, now you owe me one. So what do you plan to do to keep me silent?”

“I think I've already done a lot,” Ori protested softly, caressing Kili's cheek. “You've just made a list of exactly _all_ the stupid things I've done, in fact. So I rather feel it's your turn now to make a fool of yourself.”

Kili laughed again. He had half a mind to just kiss the other dwarf there and then, but that didn't seem entirely right. After all the trouble Ori had gone through to do things the right way, it was only fair that Kili would play by the rules too.

The dark haired dwarf stood up, much to the other's dismay -and oh, maybe doing things all nice and proper hadn't been necessary after all, but it was too late now. In a rather theatrical gesture, Kili held out his hand to Ori and helped him get on his feet. He then took his most serious look, the one he had spent hours copying from his uncle, and started talking.

“Master Ori, it is time we have a conversation,” he said in a dramatic tone that made the other snigger. “It has come to my attention that you might be interested in my person. Not that anyone can blame you, as I am clearly the most charming dwarf of all Middle Earth. And in fact, I blame you so little that I now officially ask your permission to court you. You are after all a delicious young fellow, most learned in... many things that I actually don't really understand most of the time, and a brave warrior, and so I would be very pleased if you would allow me to spend as much time with you as possible, with or without clothes on.”

Ori laughed, and prepared to give his answer, but Kili had realized something and wasn't quite finished yet.

“Hey! But you must have already seen me naked when you where healing me!” the dark haired dwarf exclaimed. “This is _most_ unfair! I demand that we get you out of that unfashionable ball of wool you call a pullover this instant so that we once again stand in a foot of equality, and...”

The rest of his monologue was lost as Ori kissed him.

It was a soft, shy kiss, exactly the sort Kili would have imagined from the younger dwarf And it was all very nice and perfect, and Kili didn't know if you could die from sheer happiness, but if you could then it was a risk he was more than willing to take. It was a true heartbreak when they had to separate, a bit out of breath. But then, seeing Ori blushing like that, with a ridiculous grin on his now red lips, was also very nice. Everything felt very nice.

Was that why Thorin and Fili had been in such an annoying good mood during the past few weeks? Well, Kili thought, now it was _his_ turn.

“I think I should thank you,” Ori said suddenly.

“For what? Kissing you? Trust me, it was no sacrifice.”

“No! Well, for that too, of course. But mostly for... not treating me like a child. I know I'm a bit young and all, but...”

“You're three years younger than me, that's nothing,” Kili protested. “And if anything, you're the one who has been very mature about this whole thing, and for this I thank you. I know I haven't been very considerate of your feelings until now...”

That earned him a snigger and a nod from Ori, but he decided to let it pass.

“But I have every intention of making it up to you, if you'll let me. And since your brother are too drunk to notice you're gone, maybe we could... go for a walk around the mountain, if you'd like?”

“Is that you trying to make an indecent proposal? Kili, I am _shocked_ , I'm not the sort of dwarf to do such things not half an hour after the beginning of wooing.”

“That was actually just an offer for a walk, I promise. But, and I'm asking out of pure theorical curiosity, when could I hope to be allowed to have a... _walk around the mountain_ with you?”

“Oh, at least two days,” Ori assured him with a very serious face.

“Oh, really?”

“I am a _proper_ young dwarf, you know.”

“I would never doubt it.”

“Though of course, if you feel it's too long a wait, I suppose you _could_ always try to convince me otherwise.”

“I'll do my best then,” Kili said before kissing him again.

 

* * *

 

The following morning was a rather interesting one for everyone. Most dwarves had a terrible hangover, and they did not appreciate the noise Dori and Nori made when they woke up and found their brother missing. Though that was nothing compared to the screams and yells they made when they discovered said brother in Kili's room, in a shockingly undressed state.

The young dwarf prince had managed to be very convincing. And though he knew that it would earn him the eternal hatred of Dori and Nori, a stern lecture from Thorin about things one did before marriage -like he had any lessons to give -and endless jokes from Fili, Kili decided that it was all quite worth it just for the pleasure of having woken up in Ori's arms.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all vomited rainbows, and had just a tiny bit as much fun reading this as I did writing it. :D


End file.
